Mistakes of the Past
by Alexandra-Kyoko
Summary: Yuki's been having strange dreams lately, and all of them about a girl that he's never met. Is there something between them that he doesn't remember? A story of reincarnation. Yukiru COMPLETE
1. Prologue

Writer's Note Since Only a Week to Fall in Love is such a long story, this is just a little thing I decided to write on the side. It'll probably be a little confusing at first but it should make sense later, and it won't be terribly long. Everything that's _italicized _you can pretty much assume is or was a dream that someone had at some point in time even if I don't directly say it is. All righty then!

* * *

_Yours is a sin that can not be forgiven..._

_You really don't remember anything... do you..._

_Music... something from a long time ago. It makes my heart ache to hear it. Play it for me again. Your songs... they were so beautiful... but there was always a hint of sadness behind them. I wonder why... _

_An old fairy tale..._

_You believe in reincarnation, don't you?_

_Only true love can bring two souls together again. _

_I remember... Grandma would sit me before the fireplace every night and read to me._

_Shall I tell you a story? _

_Once... a long long time ago... an angel fell in love with a human man. Tragically, he was fated to die young, and this saddened the angel terribly. When the day came and the man was on his deathbed, the angel quietly descended to Earth and went to his side. Leaning forward, she kissed him gently on the lips and the man was completely healed of all that ailed him. He too fell madly in love with her, and the two lived happily together for a short time. Eventually, God discovered what had been done and came down to punish her for her crime of changing a human's fate. And as she was being taken back to heaven, the angel used the last of her magic to cast a spell upon them both. _

_ "Next time," she promised. "We'll both be born as humans, and no one will ever try to keep us apart again. When we're reborn... I promise we'll be together..."_

_Why are you telling me all this? _

_I don't understand what's going on._

_A girl with long brown hair is singing a soft, sad song in the middle of a dark forest. She turns to me and smiles... but her eyes are crying. It hurts me to see her look this way. Tears fall onto her flowing white dress... She's holding something in her arms... but I can't quite see what it is. Something wrapped in a red scarf... I take a step closer... but she seems so far away. I see it now... A head... she's cradling a woman's head in a cloth soaked with blood... _

_I really did love you._

_It wasn't a lie._

_But I suppose you'll never know that now. _

_A cloaked figure in a black robe... He sits on the floor, his face hidden by the hood of the cloak. He looks up at me, only his eyes visible in the shadows, and shakes his head in disapproval. Whispers in my ear... The man is telling me something..._

_ "Some people are just meant to die I guess.... doomed to repeat their past lives over and over again... Surely you understand that. You of all people should know that better than anyone... Yuki-kun..._"

* * *

Tohru screamed as her eyes shot open, her gaze darting back and forth around her. Where was her mom? Was she too late? Tumbling out of her bed, she wiped at the beads of sweat on her damp face with the back of her hand, and went stumbling out of her room into the hallway. "Mom!" she cried loudly. "Mom!!" There was no response, and Tohru could feel her heart pounding painfully in her chest as she ran to the window and looked frantically outside. Please, please don't let it be too late.

The sight of a small blue car turning the corner made Tohru's breath stop in her throat and Tohru crumpled to the floor, tears streaming down her face. "She already left..." she choked quietly to herself. "If only I had known sooner... but I was too late... Mom... I'm so sorry..." Sobbing, Tohru covered her face with her hands, crying as hard as she could. There was nothing she could do about it. No matter what she did, she knew that nothing would change her mother's fate... Human beings such as them, doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.... and relive their tragic lives over and over again... couldn't even hope for a better future...

"But this time..." Tohru began, whispering softly to herself. Her lips curled into a small smile and she squeezed her eyes shut, the feel of her hot tears sliding down her face offering a strange sort of comfort, as if they were caressing her skin with warm fingertips. "This time... things will be different. I promise... mom..."

* * *

Blinking, Yuki squinted in the harsh light glaring in from his bedroom window. That dream again... How many times had he had it? He had the strangest feeling that it was important somehow, but he could never quite seem to make any sense out of it. That girl, the one with the long brown hair. Somehow she was always there, and always crying. And he would hear the story his grandmother had told him when he was a little boy. Some legend about the angel that promised reincarnation to the man she loved so that they could be together again. His dreams... sometimes more like memories from a time long ago.

Well, whatever significance the dream had, he wasn't likely to understand it right now. He had a class this afternoon he had to attend, and not to mention a paper for it that he had yet to write as well. Rolling over onto his side, Yuki let out a groan, hugging his covers tightly in his arms. He really, really didn't feel like getting up right now.

Finally, Yuki pulled himself grudgingly out of bed, stepping over piles of dirty laundry and going to his closet. Making a face, he took one of the few articles of clothing still left hanging from the rack and pulled it over his head. So maybe he needed to clean the place up a bit. But hey, it wasn't so bad. First year living on his own in an apartment next to the college he was attending. They couldn't possibly expect him to keep the place in sparkly clean condition, could they? What with all the reports, and exams, and his part time job working in the school library... he really didn't have time to worry about trivial things like having clean socks.

However, a whiff of the air around him told him differently and Yuki decided maybe it would be a good idea to fix his apartment up a little tonight. He could get his clothes done, and maybe even go grocery shopping for some food, since God knew when the last time he'd eaten a meal that wasn't compliments of some fast food joint or cafeteria was. Throwing on a pair of jeans, Yuki grabbed his book bag and a granola bar and was out the door. Yup, he'd do all that tonight, but first, he had to get to the computer lab on campus and type up this report.

Yuki jogged down the single flight of stairs to the first floor and exited the small apartment building, a chilly breeze catching him off guard. Looking up at the sky, he watched as dark clouds swirled above him, and fat drops of water began to fall on his head. Just perfect. Well, his car wasn't too far away so he supposed it wasn't that big of a deal, but something about the rain bugged him. It had been that way with him for as long as he could remember, always making him feel uneasy inside, as if something terrible were about to happen.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Yuki hurried to his vehicle, unlocking the door and climbing inside. As he sat inside the car in the driver's seat, the rain pelting down on the windshield, Yuki couldn't help but feel mesmerized for a moment, completely hypnotized by the drops of water falling in front of him. The storm began to grow worse, and lightening flashed in the sky, waking him up from his trance. Yuki started the engine, and pulled out of the parking lot, trying to keep his focus.

So much rain.

Thunder and lightning.

Rain.

A car swerving around the corner right in front of him, sliding in the water.

A crash a thunder.

The car completely losing control.

Rain.

The car flipping onto its side.

Rain.

He slammed his foot on the brakes, but they wouldn't seem to work.

Rain.

Yuki eyes widened in horror as his car slammed straight into the car that was laying on its side, unable to stop. The sound of metal twisting and the screech of tires filled his ears as he felt all the air being knocked out of his lungs. The door was ripped off and his body was thrown out of the vehicle from the impact. He lay there in the middle of the street, unable to move, his heavily lidded eyes watching the two crushed cars melded together in the road. Nothing but a massive heap of metal and glass. And just before losing consciousness, he could barely make out a pale, slender hand, hanging limply from beneath the second crushed vehicle.

* * *

_The huge red ruby glittered as it dangled from the wall, a gem encrusted in more gems and lined in gold. To think, the eye of the dragon had been here all along, in such a quiet, nameless shop. Yuki furrowed his brows. Could it really be authentic? How could they carelessly display something so completely priceless as if it were just some sort of decoration. "Sell it me," he found himself demanding._

_ The woman behind the counter raised an eyebrow before smirking a little. "A bit demanding, you noble types," she commented in amusement. "I apologize but its not for sale."_

_ Narrowing his eyes, Yuki folded his arms in front of him, taking in the full view of the middle aged woman before him, her shoulder length red hair pulled up in a dirty bun. To think, this... this peasant would speak to him in such a way. "It wasn't a request," he said finally. "I'm ordering you to sell it to me." _

_"And, as I said before, its not for sale." _

_ Yuki shook his head in annoyance and stormed out of the store. Willowy, soft notes began to waft toward him and he perked his ears up to listen. How beautiful. What could it be? His tilted his head back and forth till he located the music coming from behind the small shop. Creeping around the building, he saw a girl with long brown hair seated on a tree stump, her long fingers strumming gently at a harp made of silver. It appeared old, the metal corroded and faded, but the intricate patterns along the edges told him that it had once been a marvelous instrument. He watched as the girl played, her lips parted as she sang quietly along with it, her voice melting into the soft tune._

_ She paused, her eyes falling on him as she noticed him for the first time. Her mouth curled into a small, kind smile and Yuki felt his face grow warm. Who was this girl?_

_ "Hello, are you a visitor from the city?" she inquired in curiosity. Yuki nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving her face. The girl wore a long white dress lined in antique lace that pooled on the ground around her slender ankles. Turning back to her instrument, she began to play again, closing her eyes and singing softly to herself._

_ Suddenly the world was thrown in darkness, and the girl disappeared. Looking around in confusion, Yuki watched as the peaceful scene faded away. In the background, he could still hear the girl's gentle song, echoing in the black atmosphere. Water rippled as a river appeared before him, and he gazed down upon it in wonder. What was going on? Why had she disappeared like that. _

_ An image of the girl's face looking back up at him from the stream made him gasp in shock. Dipping his hand in the water, he reached for her cheek, but his fingers touched nothing, finding that she was nothing more than a reflection on the glittery surface. Blood began to spurt from her mouth as she glared up at him accusingly, coughing uncontrollably and turning the water red. "Next time," she promised bitterly, her eyes dark. "I promise I'll be the one to kill you... Yuki-kun..."_

_Only true love can bring two souls together again._

_Would you like to hear a story?_

_You really don't remember anything...  
_

* * *

Tohru sat curled on the floor, her head leaning against the wall. The sun had gone down and she was surrounded by darkness, competely immersed in it. Out of nowhere, the phone rang loudly, and Tohru reached easily in front of her for the receiver. She had been expecting the call after all, and had set the phone within reaching distance. Placing it to her ear, she mumbled a faint hello.

"Tohru Honda?"

"Yes, this is..." she replied quietly. What was the point? She already knew what they were going to say.

"Its about your mother... she was in an accident..." There was a pause, as if the person on the other end were trying to find an easier way to put it. "I'm sorry... but she's dead."

Tohru was quiet for a moment before replying, a single tear making its way down her cheek. "Yes... I know..."

* * *

Writer's Note I know, a little confusing right? The next chapter should clear some stuff up. Review and let me know what you thought about it!


	2. First Memory

Writer's Note Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! Just to let you know, this story is only going to be six chapters long. (Really depressing too, lol.) Also, the zodiac curse won't come into play, simply because the story is so short and complicated already, and I didn't feel like incorporating it =P Thanks!

* * *

_ "So your name's Yuki?" Tohru giggled, jumping back playfully. "It suits you. Your hair and eyes, they remind me of a snowy winter's night."_

_"I guess," Yuki shrugged, his face heating up. "I never really gave it much thought before."  
_

* * *

Yuki cleared his throat, shifting the bouquet of flowers nervously in his arms. This was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life. It had been about a week since the accident, and after spending only one night in the hospital, he had been horrified to find out that the woman in the other vehicle had died. Of course, it was the woman's car that had gone out of control and flipped over right in front of his own, so he wasn't going to be held responsible for her death, but that didn't change the fact that he still felt responsible nonetheless.

Apparently the woman had one daughter named Tohru Honda, and he couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have felt like for her to find out that her mother was gone now. He felt the need to do something, say something, anything, to make amends. How could he possibly make it up to her? He didn't even know what he was doing here. Did he think he could just say "sorry" and that would be the end of it? Did he think it would somehow erase the guilt eating away at his heart?

Shifting nervously from where he was standing once more, he slowly lifted a finger and rang the doorbell. He pursed his lips together as he waited for someone to come to the door. After several seconds had passed, he could feel his anxiety growing. Maybe no one was home? So then... guess he should just head back... However, the sound of a lock turning and the door opening told him that this wasn't the time for second thoughts now. He had come here for a reason and he wasn't going to leave until he was finished.

The door swung open, revealing a girl with long dark hair, and eyes the color of a deep blue ocean. Yuki's eyes widened in shock as he saw her, the flowers he had been holding fluttering to the ground. "Its... Its you..." he whispered. It was her... The one from his dreams. She was the girl that he had always seen in his dreams... How could this be? He had never met her before in his entire life, and yet she had always been there in his mind. And now, here she was standing before him as real as he was.

"Y...Yuki-kun..." Tohru gasped, jumping back and throwing a hand in front of her mouth. And apparently, she seemed to know him as well. What the hell was going on here? Tears came to her eyes and she brushed them away, crumpling to the floor. "I've searched... and searched for you for so long..." she cried, "And now, after five hundred years... You're finally here."

"I'm sorry..." Yuki began apologetically, feeling himself grow even more disturbed by her behavior. Maybe she could explain what was going on to him. Maybe then everything would start to make sense. "But... who... who are you?" He saw the strange look she gave him as he took her hand, and helped her to her feet. "We've never met before, have we?"

Tohru furrowed her brows at him, the confusion apparent in her eyes. Finally, she used her index finger to pull down the neckline of her shirt ever so slightly, revealing a ruby necklace set on a gold backing and surrounded by tiny diamonds. Lifting the necklace tenderly from her skin, she held it up to him, her eyes never leaving his own. "The Eye of the Dragon," she said softly. "Surely you recognize this."

Shaking his head frantically, Yuki took a step back. That necklace, he had seen that in his dream as well. "No, I have no idea what it is," Yuki blurted out. His mind was spinning. This couldn't be happening. Something was terribly wrong here. That jewel... he didn't want it near him. "I don't even know who you are. I came here to apologize... That's all..."

"For killing my mother..." Tohru murmured softly, looking down at the gem hanging from her neck and running a finger delicately over its gleaming surface. "Yes, I know." She smiled sadly at him, her gaze moving to the pile of flowers laying scattered on the ground before her. "You really don't remember anything, do you..."

Bending down, Yuki gathered the flowers quickly in his arms and handed them to her. "Here, they're for you. I'm sorry about what happened... but I have to go now...." He spun around, running back to his car as fast as he could. Something just wasn't right. Who was this girl? He had dreamt about her for as long as he could remember, and now she was here, as a real, flesh and blood person. Why did she seem to know so much about him? Why was it that he didn't know anything about her at all?

Climbing into his car, Yuki couldn't help but glance up in his rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of the girl in front of her doorway, her eyes still watching him with a strange sort of intensity. Even as he drove away, he could feel his pulse racing in his veins. There was something about being near her that had overwhelmed him with an indescribable sadness. What was it about her that made his heart ache in this way?

* * *

_ His fingers twisted a lock of her hair as his lips brushed over her own, leaving a fiery trail of kisses along her cheek. Tohru murmured his name as Yuki ran a hand down her back, gently caressing her skin. Laughing, Tohru pushed him away, sitting up in the bed. "That tickles," she teased him. _

_"Sorry," Yuki grinned, shaking his head in amusement. _

_ Laying back down, Tohru curled up next to him, wrapping her arms around him and letting out a content sigh. It felt like so long since they had been alone like this. She didn't ever want to leave. "Do you think we could stay together like this forever?" she asked quietly._

_"Of course. Why wouldn't we?"_

_ Tohru remained silent, and began to play with the corner of the quilted blanket laying beside her. She had been having doubts lately, but she couldn't possibly tell him that. It wasn't that she wasn't sure of her own feelings, but sometimes, she wondered if Yuki really cared about her as much as he said he did. Perhaps she was just feeling insecure because her own love for him was so strong. "Have you ever heard the story about the angel that came from heaven to be with the man she loved?" she asked finally. Pausing, she rolled over onto her stomach and rested her chin on her folded arms. "When God came to take her back, she promised him that they'd be reborn together again. Can you imagine? Loving someone that much? It would really have to be true love to bring two souls together like that again... That's what I think..." _

_"Are you saying you want to be reborn with me?" Yuki chuckled, kissing her gently on the cheek._

_ "Wouldn't it be wonderful," Tohru nodded enthusiastically. "Not just one lifetime together... but two! We'll just keep being born again and again and every time we'll fall in love just like now. It'll be so romantic."_

_"Hmm, I suppose..."  
_

* * *

Tohru opened her eyes, and found tears streaming down her face. Wiping them away, she pulled herself up from the couch and climbed to her feet. She hadn't even realized she had fallen asleep. Turning her gaze to the window, her eyes fell on the place where Yuki had been only hours before. To think, after all this time, she had finally found him. But, why didn't he remember their past life? Didn't he have dreams about them as well? Could it be that only she remembered? More tears welled up in her eyes and she covered her face with her hands, sobbing softly. She had been so naïve back then. How could she have known that things would end up the way they did.

And now, here she was, alone in this empty, quiet house. But Yuki, now that they had finally met again, there was no way he could forget her. He would be back. Their past would bring him back to her, and Tohru would finally be able to atone for the mistake she had made all those years ago. "I'm sorry mom..." she murmured to herself. "Even knowing all this, I still wasn't able to save you..."

* * *

Haru looked oddly at Yuki before taking a sip of his soup with his spoon. His cousin had been strangely quiet ever since he had gotten back. Kagura, Kyo, Momiji, Yuki, and himself usually ate dinner together in the college cafeteria but for some reason, Yuki had been sitting at the table completely silent, not speaking or even eating as he gazed off somewhere in the distance. What could he possibly be thinking right now?

"Hey, you damned rat," Kyo growled, pointing an accusing finger at him. "If you're not gonna eat, then don't waste it. Give it here." Yuki didn't respond, and continued to stare ahead as if nothing had happened. Making a face, Kyo made a big show of reaching over Yuki's plate and stealing a handful of fries. "Mmm, these are good," he said loudly, shoving them into his mouth. Still receiving no response, Kyo looked at the rest of the group and shrugged. "Wierdo..." he muttered.

"Is something wrong, Yuki-kun," Kagura asked finally, her voice filled with concern. "Did something happen to you?"

Yuki turned his head slowly to look at her, his eyes beginning to register her face. "Hmm, what was that?" he asked, furrowing his brows.

"I asked if something happened."

"Oh, uh, no, nothing," Yuki mumbled. "I've just been thinking..."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Momiji asked in curiosity.

"Not really."

Hmm, something had definitely happened. Maybe it had to do with the accident Yuki was in the week before? They had heard that a woman had died in the crash. That knowledge must have been eating him away inside. Haru lifted a pack of crackers and tore them open, dropping them into his soup. That had to be it. No wonder he was being so quiet. The only thing they could do was give him space and hope he could recover.

"Hey guys," Yuki began slowly, picking up his fork and poking at the food on his tray. "Have you ever heard of The Eye of the Dragon? Its a giant ruby..."

"Of course," Momiji piped in. "It was a sacred jewel that used to belong to the Sohma family." He paused, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "I remember my dad once saying it was stolen centuries ago and we've just never been able to get it back since."

"I see... What was so special about it?"

"Well, I dunno," Momiji shrugged. He took a slurp of his drink and set it back down on the table. "I guess we just had it for a long time."

Haru shook his head. He had heard stories about the jewel as well ever since he was little. There was more to it than that. There was some kind of legend behind it as well. "Don't you guys remember that old story about the angel that promised reincarnation to that human guy she fell in love with? That jewel was supposed to be the eye of a dragon that she used to cast the spell so that they could be reborn. Something like that anyway... Our family used to believe it held the key to gaining immortality."

Yuki looked up at him in interest. "Is that what its about?" he asked in surprise. He furrowed his brows and turned his gaze back down to his plate, in deep thought. "So then... what could she have been doing with it..."

"Who's she?" Kagura asked in wonder. "Why did you bring that up all of sudden anyway?"

"Its nothing..." Yuki replied quietly. "Just forget about it."

* * *

_ "So that's where the jewel has been this entire time," Akito mused, tapping his chin with his index finger. "I guess we'll just have to get it back now, won't we."  
_

* * *

_ Tohru sat perched on the tree stump she always sat on, her harp cradled in front of her as she gently plucked at the strings. She parted her lips and began to sing with it, a soft and haunting melody. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuki could make out her mother, watching them from the shop window, a small smile on her face. Yuki leaned back against the tree he was standing against, the rough bark scratching at the back of his neck as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lost in the music. Tohru paused, her face turning red as she stopped and looked at him. "I'm not used to having an audience," she admitted, laughing a little to herself._

_"Please don't stop," Yuki urged. "I love it when you play."_

_"All right then, Yuki-kun," Tohru said softly. "I'll play once more, just for you."  
_

* * *

Writer's Note All right, second chapter! Not sure if that cleared anything up or not, but it should start to make sense little by little.

Misaki the Assassin- Thanks a lot! Hey I saw that movie, it was pretty cool. I really like Ashton Kutcher too. .

bleedformeee- Thanks a lot!

VampAmber- I'm glad you like it so far! I'm hoping it was a little less confusing this chapter. Thanks!

Grrl N- Ah yes, hopefully this one was a bit clearer. As for her knowing her mother dying, its sort of cleared up toward the end of the story... not really, eh... this is kind of hard to explain... I made Tohru know that a lot of stuff was going to happen already... so we can pretty much assume she had a dream about it prior to the event. Something like that. Lol Thanks!

Lynsey- Thanks so much! =D

Blu-rain- I'm glad it catches your interest! Thanks a lot!

Mike- Thanks! Yup, since dreams are the main focus of the story, we can pretty much assume that she had a dream her mother would die that day... Cause now that I think about it, I don't think I ever really directly explain that part. Lol

C.B.- Thanks so much! Glad you liked it! XD

darkfire717- Yay! That's so sweet of you to say. Haha, I love having a fan. Thanks a lot!

Tyouhkriu- Thanks you!! XD

Lady Indigo Star- Wow, thanks so much for the insightful review! I just hope the rest of this story is able to meet up to your expectations! Thanks again!

Mewlw- Haha, yeah, pretty much. Thanks!


	3. Second Memory

_ Tohru cried loudly, as she splashed in the river. "I... I can't swim! Please somebody!" Her arms flailed above her and her head went under for several seconds before bobbing back up again, coughing up water as she struggled to stay above the surface. "Help me!"_

_ Yuki bit his lip from behind the tree, her cries echoing loudly around him. Shaking his head, he began to run toward the river as fast as he could. "I... I'm coming," he shouted. "Just hold on." Kicking off his shoes, he dived in head first, and began to swim toward her. "I'm almost there." As he pulled up next to her, he wrapped an arm securely around her shoulders and pulled her head up before pulling her forward in the water._

_ "Y...Yuki-kun," Tohru choked, holding on tightly to his arm. They reached the shore and Tohru coughed as she crawled forward, breathing in heavily. Turning to face him, her lips curled into a weak smile. "Thanks," she said softly._

_"How did you fall in like that?" Yuki asked, his voice bewildered. "I swear, I could hear you from the other side of town."_

_ "I don't know," Tohru replied shaking her head. "It felt like... someone pushed me... but no one was there... I just don't know."  
_

* * *

Shigure sat cross-legged before Akito, who lay wheezing and gasping for breath on a mattress on the floor. Akito turned his head slowly to look at him, his face haggard, with hollow cheeks and dark circles around his eyes. The man was most certainly near death's door. It was only a matter of time before his flickering light was extinguished for good.

"What do you want," he demanded weakly, before falling into a fit of coughs. Covering his mouth with a bony hand, he began to gag, coughing up saliva and blood.

Pursing his lips together, Shigure looked away, unable to gaze upon the ill man any longer. It was just too sad. Too pathetic. "I hear the boys were talking about The Eye of the Dragon... Momiji was asking me about it earlier this evening."

"The eye of the dragon..." Akito whispered... He turned to Shigure, his eyes fierce and blazing despite his sickly state. "I have to have it. Our family has been searching for it for generations. Where is it! I need it! I don't want to die! Give it to me!"

"Calm down," Shigure muttered, shaking his head. "I don't have it with me. The boys were just talking about it at school... However, Yuki was the one who brought it up. Perhaps he knows something."

"Then bring him here," Akito rasped. "If our records are true, then it should still be in the hands of the Honda's." He paused, taking in a few slow breaths before continuing. "Don't you see... I want that jewel... I want to be healthy... I want to be reborn..."

* * *

_"I love you so much," Yuki whispered, kissing her playfully on the lips. _

_ Tohru nodded, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and closing her eyes. "Do you really..." she murmured. They sat on a small arm chair in the back room of the shop, surrounded by shelves of small trinkets, and delicate antiques. The floors were littered with large storage boxes, piled atop one another and pushed against the walls. Light was scarce, limited to only a few rays that managed to stream through a small window toward the top of the wall. But they sat there in the comfortable dimness, Tohru leaning against him as she sat on his lap._

_ With how she had been lately, it was so like her to answer a declaration of love in such a way. Questionably, as if she were casting her doubts upon him. It had been almost three months since they had first met. Since that day, Yuki Sohma, her mysterious visitor from the city had continued to come to see her every day, though it had taken weeks before she had finally realized she was falling in love with him. _

_ She wanted to go back with him. She wanted to go to that city, bustling with people and marketplaces and noise, and see what he saw. She wanted to experience the life he experienced along beside him. And yet, he never once had invited her back to his home. Only at this shop, where she and her mother worked, and on the second floor where they spent their nights and rested, did he come to see her, and it seemed, that it would continue to be this way for a long time._

_"Do you think I'm lying?" Yuki asked finally, chuckling to himself. _

_ "Of course not, Yuki-kun," Tohru replied quickly. "I love you too." She did. Why else would she long for him in this way. Why else would she feel as though, no matter how near he was, even when he was right here beside her, he was still miles away, somewhere beyond her reach. "I just want to feel close to you," she said softly, holding him tighter.  
_

* * *

Tohru let out a sigh as she poured a cup of water into the vase, and began to rearrange the flowers in them. What on earth was she doing. She was treating these as if they were some precious gift from someone special. Perhaps it was the dreams she had been having lately. They seemed to be focusing on all the wonderful times she had spent with Yuki in their last life. She had been so in love with him then. She was becoming sentimental even. How ridiculous.

A knock came at the door and Tohru began to smile to herself. That must be him now. She knew he would come back. He had to. They were bound to each other by fate and had even transcended the very threads of time together. Going to the door, Tohru pulled it open, the smile never leaving her face. "Hello, how are you this morning, Yuki-kun," she asked cheerfully. "Back so soon?"

"Uh, hi," Yuki began awkwardly, looking down at the floor. "I just came to clear a few things up... If... if that's okay with you of course... If you don't feel like talking..."

"Oh don't be silly," Tohru said with a wave of her hand. "Come in. I'll make you some tea."

Hesitating by the door, Yuki finally shook his head. "I'd rather not," he said finally. "Would you like to go for a walk instead?"

Tohru looked at him for a moment, her face free of emotion before she broke into a huge smile once more. "Still don't trust me?" she laughed. "That's fine. We can go for a walk then." Pulling on her shoes, she stepped onto the porch, her foot catching on the edge of the step. She let out a yelp as she fell forward, and surprised to feel strong arms wrap around her to steady her. Tohru felt her entire face heat up, surrounded by his warmth as he caught her. The same. He still felt the same as before. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she quickly pulled away, brushing off her shirt and pants. "Uh, thank you," she mumbled.

"Sure, no problem," Yuki said with a wave of his hand.

They began to walk down the sidewalk in complete silence. Tohru wondered if she should say something, but Yuki was the one who was supposed to asking the questions, right? "Didn't you have something to ask me?" she inquired finally.

"Well, yeah," Yuki agreed. "Its just that. I don't know where to begin."

"If you really don't know anything... I suppose I can start at the beginning," Tohru murmured thoughtfully. "You and I... we were in love with each other... a long, long time ago..." she paused, feeling herself begin to blush. She wasn't sure why this was embarrassing her so much to say it out loud but it was. How was somebody supposed to possibly explain a love they once had for one another when the other person didn't remember anything at all.

Explaining it almost made her feel foolish.

"Well, we loved each other..." Tohru began again quietly, pulling the ruby out from under her shirt and lifting it a little so that he could see. "My father had given my mother and I this stone that he had gotten from his grandfather. I heard it used to belong to the Sohma family a long time ago, but somehow it ended up with ours and has been with us ever since then... They used to say the jewel would bring immortality, would heal the sick, revive the dead, and even allow a soul to be reborn again. I used to say that I wanted us to be reborn when we died... so that we could be together again... and well, here we are..."  
"I see," Yuki said slowly. "But there has to be more to it than that... I have these dreams but they don't seem to match everything you're saying... There was something bad that happened as well, wasn't there."

"The only bad thing that happened," Tohru began softly, "was being away from you for five hundred years. But now that we're together again, we should be excited, ecstatic even. This is a momentous occasion for us, Yuki-kun. Don't you feel it?" she asked, placing a hand on his chest. "Didn't you feel that instant attraction when we first saw each other. Fate has brought us together again. Something is drawing us to one another."

Nodding slowly, Yuki swallowed hard, lifting a hand and placing it on her cheek. "You're right," he said quietly. "I feel it too. Like love at first sight. Like I knew I had to be with you and keep you safe." He bent down suddenly, capturing her lips in his own and Tohru's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't been expecting this to happen so quickly. It appeared, even without his full memories, Yuki's desire had remained with him all this time.

Tohru felt her eyes well up with tears as she closed her eyes as well, lost in the feel of his lips against hers. What was she doing... She hadn't meant for her heart to ache in this way. She had wanted to stay in control of her emotions. She had promised herself that she wouldn't fall for him again. And yet somehow, she couldn't help it. But perhaps, as long as he loved her, as long as he trusted her, then her own feelings didn't really matter, because no matter what, she refused to repeat the same mistakes they had made in the past.

* * *

_Tohru screamed as loud as she could, jumping up onto the table, her entire body shaking uncontrollably. She looked up at Yuki who was laughing in amazement as he watched her from the doorway. "Yuki-kun," she complained. "Don't just stand there laughing at me."_

_"But I can't help it," Yuki chuckled. "Seeing you get all worked up over a little spider."_

_ Shaking her head frantically, Tohru pointed at the arachnid as it crawled slowly along the floor. "Are you even looking at it?" she protested. "Its gigantic! Its probably the biggest spider I've ever seen in my life!"_

_"All right, I'll get rid of it," Yuki agreed finally, still laughing to himself.  
_

* * *

_"Your hair and eyes, they remind me of a snowy winter's night." _

_If only you knew, my heart was as frozen solid as that snow._

_"Yours is a sin that cannot be forgiven."_

_Don't you think I know that by now? What more can I do to change what has already been done? Haven't I been punished enough yet? I've begged God for forgiveness a thousand times already. I've begged myself for forgiveness even more, and above all, I've pleaded to her in my heart more times than I can remember to palliate my crimes. _

_The ruby glows bright crimson before my eyes, blood running down its shining surface and dripping into my hands. I try to reach for it but it fades away, disappearing into nothingness._

_I really did love you..._

_That wasn't a lie...  
_

* * *

Yuki pulled away from Tohru, his face bright red as he turned his gaze back to the ground and continued walking on ahead without her. What had come over him just now? It was like he had been someone else. How could he kiss her when he barely even who she was? So now she was saying they had been lovers in a former life? How in the world was he supposed to believe something that ludicrous? It didn't make sense. That kind of thing just didn't happen in real life.

"Wait," Tohru called, running to catch up with him. "What's wrong?"

Yuki turned to look at her, feeling even more confused. And why on earth had she let him kiss her like that? Didn't she find it the least bit odd at all. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he began finally. "I don't know what came over me."

Smiling a little, Tohru shook her head. "I think you're starting to remember. Little by little, it should come to you, and you'll understand why you feel the way you do. Right now you're like someone who's lost all his memories. When it comes back to you, everything will start to make sense."

So, this was all supposed to make sense one day? And he was going to have to believe that he was the reincarnation of some man who just wanted to be with his lost love again? Somehow he found that just the slightest bit hard to swallow. But one thing was for certain... the feelings he had for this girl were real. Whatever the reason, whether it made sense or didn't, Yuki felt a strange connection to her, a love that he couldn't quite explain. Letting out a sigh, Yuki took her hand, wrapping his fingers around her own. This felt so familiar somehow, as if he had done this exact same thing so many times before.

"Something the matter?" Tohru asked, looking up at him.

"Nothing," Yuki replied quietly. "Let's just stay like this a little longer... It makes me feel calm somehow."

Nodding, Tohru gazed off ahead of them as they walked, past houses and trees. Yuki wondered if it was just his imagination, but for a moment, she had looked incredibly sad.

* * *

_ Yuki raised an eyebrow as Tohru came running toward him, The Eye of the Dragon dangling from her hands. What in the world was she doing with it? She came running up to him, her face flushed with excitement. _

_"Look, Yuki-kun," she said excitedly. "I was able to get it down from the wall. Now we can use it to be together."_

_ "That's wonderful," he agreed, shaking his head in amazement at her. He had never seen her look so determined in his entire life. "I can't believe you really took it."_

_ "Well, I knew you'd love the idea," Tohru said happily. "That's why I had to. I didn't want my mom to see because she told me never to touch it, but I know if I just explain it to her later, she'll understand." She held up The Eye of the Dragon so he could have a better look at it, the jewel glittering and shimmering in all its glory under the sunlight. _

_ "Its perfect," Yuki murmured, his eyes transfixed on the gem. He lifted a hand toward it, almost shaking as his index finger brushed against the top of the glassy surface. "Can I hold it?"  
_

* * *

Writer's note All right! We're half-way there now! I'd like to thank everyone for being so patient with this story. I realize its perplexing at first but by the time you reach the last chapter it should all make sense. I plan to update my other fic tomorrow, or Friday at the very latest should something come up. Thanks!

Sweet-mel- Thanks a lot! =D

Daniel of Lorien- Sorry, its confusing I hope you'll stick with it a little longer though.

Lady Indigo Star- Once again, thanks so much for the lovely review - It makes me very happy to know you're enjoying this story so much. Lol, And I have to agree, Yuki does tend to make any story just a little better . Thanks again.

Jadefinn- Thanks a lot! =D I'm glad the second chapter was able to make things a little clearer. As for Akito, lol, well, lets just say he's always a pain in the butt, and this story is no exception. XD

mike- Thanks! Yup, and as you can see, Yuki had the same idea as you. Just had to go back and find out more.

Kaguara- I'm glad the second chapter cleared some things up! This one should have a little bit as well, (or maybe it just made things worse? Lol). Thanks!

Tyouhkriu- Thank you! Nope, I decided not to make them transform because it was too much of a pain in the neck. Haha, I guess I'm lazy .

miyu-chan- Yay! A Yukiru fan! Thank you! And don't worry, I love to write so its I always have fun doing it. And thanks so much for reading my work! Its because of you guys and your reviews that I can keep going the way I do.

C.B. - Yeah, I'm glad I was able to make his reaction to seeing Tohru understandable. I hate when I feel like the character just looks like their overreacting to something because then they just look dumb, lol. Thanks a lot!

Misaki the Assassin- Thanks a lot! Yup, I saw that movie and it was pretty good. You should see it when it comes to Blockbuster or something. Yuki's getting pretty freaked out as you can see, haha. XP

Grrl N- Yup, this story is almost half flashbacks actually. Haha, and isn't Akito always just such a weirdo? He's going to play an interesting (or should I say psychotic?)part toward the end. Thanks a lot!


	4. Third Memory

_Playing her harp... her sweet voice... perched upon that tree stump. Her white dress fluttering behind her in the wind. It starts to rain, and she looks up, the drops running down her face and soaking into her gown. She looks at me and laughs. "Its raining," she says. "We should get inside." She looks so beautiful right now. I want to wrap my arms around her and stay there with her forever._

_ The rain becomes red as it falls on her, drops of blood falling from the sky. The tears of an angel. Heaven is crying for the sins I have committed. Still she smiles, the blood dripping down her face, and from her hair. Her dress becomes red as the rain soaks into it, staining it crimson. "Its raining Yuki-kun..."_

_I wish I could still tell you how much I love you.  
_

* * *

Shaking his head, Yuki opened his eyes. His head felt fuzzy as he tried to remember the dream he had just had. But it was fading as quickly as it had come. All he could remember was the last line.

"I wish I could still tell you how much I love you," he mumbled incoherently to himself. Somehow, everything Tohru had told him the day before was starting to sound less and less crazy. Did he really love her though? Could he have fallen in love with someone he had barely known for more than a day?

The phone began to ring and Yuki gave it an annoyed look before crawling out of bed and reaching for the receiver. "Hello," he yawned, pressing it to his ear.

"Oh Yuki...," a voice rasped wistfully on the other end. "Its been so long, hasn't it. "Its so nice to be able to hear your voice again..."

"A... Akito," Yuki stammered in shock. What was he doing calling him here. What did he want?

"Please, I need you to come see me. I have so many important questions to ask you..." he trailed off, his voice becoming lower. "I've missed you so much my dear Yuki. Why is it that you've never come to visit... Death is always beside me, watching over me till the end. He wants to take me away to the other side but I never let him. Is that why you never come? Are you afraid of him. Are you afraid death will try and take you as well?"

He was insane. He must have completely lost his mind from the illness. That was the only possible explanation. "I have to go to class," Yuki broke in finally. "I'm sorry."

"Damn it, Yuki!" Akito shrieked. "I need that jewel! Give it to me! You know where it is, don't you!"

Slamming the phone down, Yuki cringed, his hand beginning to shake as it remained tightly gripped to the receiver. Somehow, Akito's voice still managed to strike fear into his heart. Ever since Yuki had been forced to live with Akito when he was little, forced to live as a plaything of a spoiled, crazed child, Yuki had been terrified of him. "Like hell I'm going over there," Yuki muttered angrily. Akito could just die for all he cared.

_Leaning back against the counter, Tohru pulled herself on top of it, taking a seat. The shop was closed for the night, Tohru's mother busying herself in the back with boxes filled with pots and tools. Yuki took a seat beside her, gazing up at the ceiling. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Eye of the dragon, practically glowing against the drab and dusty walls and wooden shelves. "You want to get away?" she asked in wonder. "But why?"_

_"Just let me stay with you for a little bit," Yuki pleaded. "I promise I won't bother you guys."_

_ Tohru laughed, shaking her head. "Of course you won't," she grinned. "Stay as long as you like. I'd love to have you around the shop."_

_Taking Tohru's hand into his own, he kissed the top of it affectionately. "Thank you," he said gratefully. _

Yuki groaned as he crashed into the wall. What the hell was that just now? Great. So now he was dreaming even while he was awake? If this kind of thing kept happening, he'd end up getting into another car accident. It was as if a memory had suddenly flashed right before his eyes. But, could it really be his own memory? It had been so vivid, so lifelike. He could feel the counter beneath him, the smell of dust, of clay and wood. Tohru was so real, so close to him.... her feminine scent as he took her hand.

Did that mean everything she had told him the day before was true? These dreams, were they showing him a previous life? He longed to see her again. His heart ached to be near her. Besides, he had a feeling there was something she still wasn't telling him. It gave him a reason to speak to her once more.

Yuki looked up as a loud car horn outside caught his attention. Going to the window, he watched a black and white vehicle as it pulled into the parking lot. Haru stepped out of it, and looked straight up at him. "Yuki, hurry up or we'll be late," he called loudly.

That was strange. Haru never came to pick him up like this before. He knew that Yuki always drove to school on his own. Grabbing his book bag, Yuki left his apartment and jogged downstairs to where Haru was waiting outside the door. "What are you doing here?" Yuki asked as he stepped outside, furrowing his brows.

"Can you blame me for being a little concerned about you," Haru shrugged. "You were in that terrible accident, and not to mention the fact that you've been acting strange for the last couple days. I thought we could talk about it."

Yuki nodded slowly. Wow, that was actually kind of touching... He had no idea he had been worrying everyone so much. Perhaps it _would_ be a good idea to talk to Haru about it. As crazy as everything in his life was going, he did feel the need to confide in someone. Climbing into the passenger seat, he pulled on his seat belt and threw his bag into the back seat. "I'm sorry if I've been worrying you guys," Yuki sighed. "There's just been a lot of weird stuff going on lately. I'm not really sure what to do."

"What kind of weird stuff?" Haru asked as he started the engine and pulled onto the street.

"Like... I don't really know how to put this but... do you believe in reincarnation?" Yuki asked uncertainly.

"No, of course not. Why?'

Making a face, Yuki folded his arms in front of him in frustration. "Well if you don't believe in it then there's no point in talking about it," he muttered. What had he been thinking. Of course Haru didn't believe in reincarnation. It was a ridiculous idea to begin with. He had been foolish to think he could talk to someone else about this in the first place. The only one he could talk to about it was Tohru. That was why he needed to see her again. He'd have to go as soon as his classes ended.

* * *

_ "Tohru! What are you doing with that!" Kyoko demanded, snatching the jewel from her daughter's hand. "I thought I told you not to touch this."_

_ Tohru gasped in surprise as she turned to her look at her mother. She hadn't even realized that her mom was standing there. "I... I'm sorry," she stammered. "I was going to tell you..."_

_ Letting out a sigh, Kyoko put a hand to her forehead. "Yuki," she began quietly. "Do you mind if I talk to my daughter alone."_

_ Yuki nodded before quickly jogging away and disappearing around the shop. Tohru could imagine how awkward this must be for him. It was embarrassing really. Why did her mother have to look so angry. Didn't she realize that Tohru was going to use the jewel so that she could be with Yuki forever. She was nineteen already, and able to make her own decisions. "I'm sorry," Tohru apologized again, not sure what else to say. _

_ "Tohru," Kyoko began gently, taking a seat on the tree stump her daughter always sat on. "I know you think that if you use this, you'll be able to be together with Yuki for a long, long time. I know you think it'll make you happy but that isn't true."_

_ "What do you mean?" Tohru asked, bewildered. "But, the story... The Angel used the Eye of the Dragon so that she could be reborn again with her lost love. Isn't that right?"_

_"That's why you can't use it," Kyoko explained. "Haven't you ever heard the other version of the story?"_

_"The other version?"_

_ "Yes, the darker side of the legend," Kyoko said quietly. "Reincarnation wasn't a gift given by an Angel. It was the punishment given by God for her breaking the taboo and coming down to earth to save a human being. It wasn't so that she could be with him again, it was so that she would be doomed to relive the same mistakes over and over again with no hope of ever being happy..." Kyoko bit her lip as she held the gem up to the light. "This damned thing... if it wasn't for it... your father wouldn't be gone right now. The man that killed him had been trying to get to this as well. That's why we have to protect it, and make sure that no one is ever hurt by its magic again." _

_ So that was it. She had been so foolish. She had almost made a huge mistake, and not only that, but she had almost dragged Yuki into it as well. "I'll protect it too," Tohru stated loudly, her voice filled with determination. If it really was dangerous, there was no way she could ever allow anyone to suffer like that. "I'll help you keep it safe."_

_Tohru's mom smiled at her, taking her hand in hers. "Thank you. I knew you'd understand."_

Yuki checked his watch as his class ended. His next one wouldn't start for another hour so he figured he could grab some lunch before then. Shoving his notebook back into his backpack, he tossed the bag over his shoulder and jogged out of the classroom. He had skipped breakfast that morning and his stomach was already growling loudly in protest. Yes, food was required. Lots and lots of food. As he raced out of the building, he felt his shoulder bump hard into someone else as he passed them. "Sorry about that," Yuki apologized as he turned to look at them, and and his breath stopped in his throat when he saw who it was.

"Well, now this is a coincidence," Tohru grinned, turning to face him. "I had no idea you went to this school too."

"What... what are you doing here?" Yuki asked in wonder, his heart beating hard in his chest. It was her. Tohru was here, looking as beautiful and mysterious as ever, her long dark hair falling over the shoulders of her white blouse. Just being near her like this made him feel short of breath, made his knees weak, drove him wild with desire. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, hold her close and never let go. He needed to feel her skin against his own.

"I go here," Tohru replied in amusement. "Actually, I just transferred to this college this semester... and I don't hang around campus very often. Maybe that's why we never ran into each other before... you think?"

Yuki swallowed hard, trying to keep himself from saying anything that would betray the powerful emotions he was feeling right at that moment.

_"Let's be reborn together. Then we can be together forever."_

Shaking the thoughts of his dreams from his head, Yuki tried to clear his mind. That's right. He had wanted to ask her something. That was why he had wanted to see her earlier. "I know you're keeping something from me," he blurted out finally. "I want you to tell me everything. I still don't understand what's going on."

Tohru looked at him silently for a moment before smiling cheerfully at him. "You're absolutely right," she chuckled. "I am keeping something from you."

"Well," Yuki asked exasperated, "what is it? Tell me what you're hiding."

"But why should I?" Tohru teased. "Its so much more fun keeping it a secret."

"I have a right to know!"

"Don't worry about it," Tohru replied softly. "I will eventually. When you've fallen completely in love with me. When you trust me unquestionably. When your heart is completely mine, come see me and I'll tell you."

Yuki felt his face grow hot and he took a step back. "What the hell is that supposed to mean," he demanded angrily. "I don't care what you say happened in our past life. I don't feel anything for you, do you understand? Nothing." Spinning around, Yuki ran in the other direction. The nerve of her. It was best if he got away from her now. If he stayed any longer, he may have really lost control and tried to kiss her again.

* * *

_"Thank you, come again," Tohru called out cheerfully to a customer as they left the shop. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, dust streaked across her cheek from where she had been putting boxes away in the back. She turned to Yuki who was leaning against the wall, watching her work, and smiled broadly at him. Feeling himself blush a little, Yuki smiled back.  
_

* * *

Writer's Note Phew, I'm so tired. XD Just worked 12 hours straight at the restaurant I'm at. Noon, till midnight. Lol. That sure was tough. Anywho, hope you liked this chapter.

Lynsey- Thanks! Hmm, that's actually the big question of this fic! =) Should be explained in chapter 6 though.

Blu-rain- Yup, good point! Guess you'll have to see what that's leading up to. Thanks!

Tyouhkriu- You're right! Akito's gonna make trouble =) Thanks!

Jadefinn- I think reincarnation is such a cool idea, so romantic XD Its cool that you believe it exists. I think it might but I'm not sure.

C.B.- Thanks so much! Lol, Yuki's so confused isn't he =D

Kaguara- Thanks! I know its confusing XD Lol, it should make sense when you get to the last chapter though. Not to much further to go!

Grrl N- Thanks a lot! You're right! The reincarnation plays a major part in the fast pace of their relationship. Lol, its gonna be real fast next chapter.

Sweet-mel- That would be cool if she was an angel =D But she's not. She's a normal person. The angel story is just a legend explaining reincarnation and the jewel's origins.

Misaki the Assassin- Thanks a lot! The mysteries should all be solved soon! I was thinking of doing a humor story next maybe XD I'll try. I'm just afraid that if I actually try to make it funny it'll turn out lame. Kinda works better when it just happens, lol.

Lady Indigo Star- Nope, Yuki definitely doesn't have a split personality like Haru. Lol. =) He's just confused.


	5. Fourth Memory

_"I've been meaning to ask you," Yuki began slowly. "About your music."_

_Tohru paused from her playing and looked up at him. "Is something wrong? I thought you liked it?"_

_ "Oh no, I do," Yuki reassured her quickly. "That's not what I meant. Its just that... your songs are so beautiful, and yet, they always sound a little sad too... I was wondering why that is..."_

_ "Don't be silly, Yuki-kun," Tohru chuckled, her fingers resuming their playing on the long delicate strings of the instrument. "After all, I have nothing to sad about..."  
_

* * *

Letting out a deep breath, Yuki took a seat at one of the small round tables in the cafeteria and set down his tray. Here we go. Food, that's what he needed right now. No more of this stupid dream and reincarnation stuff. And most importantly, no more Tohru. With that, Yuki commenced in shoveling spoonfuls of macaroni into his mouth, pausing only to down an entire bottle of iced tea in one gulp.

"My, my, you were hungry," a voice commented in front of him. "I'm sorry about earlier... Did I make you angry?"

Yuki stopped eating and looked up to find Tohru seated across from him at the table, watching him in amusement. When in the world did she get there? Groaning, Yuki picked up his napkin and wiped at his mouth self-consciously before replying. He could feel his palms begin to sweat as he looked at her. Great. There went his appetite right out the window. "What are you doing here," he asked finally. "Don't you have a class or something?"

"Nope, I'm done for the day," Tohru said cheerfully. "You should stop by my house again. We can hang out and I'll make you some dinner."

"I'll pass," Yuki muttered, pushing his tray away from him. Yep, his appetite was definitely gone now. Out of the corner of his eye, he stole another glance at Tohru, his heart skipping a beat in his chest. Why did he have to feel this way? Why couldn't he seem to control his emotions?

"Come on, Yuki-kun," Tohru said gently, placing a hand on his. "Why are you pushing me away like this?"

Her skin was like fire against his own. Yuki stomach turned in his gut as heat raced up and down his body. Oh god, he wanted her so badly. Pulling his hand away, he cleared his throat, willing himself to calm down. He couldn't allow himself to submit to his desires like this. He had to stay strong. "What are you trying to do?" Yuki asked in frustration, trying to keep himself under control. "Do you think we're supposed to just pick up where we left off in our last life? Do want me to hold you, to touch you, to kiss you? Do you want me to sleep with you or something? Is that what you want from me?"

Tohru just looked at him silently for a moment before grabbing her purse and throwing it over her shoulder. "Just forget it," she mumbled, jumping to her feet and hurrying away.

Sighing, Yuki stood up as well and began to follow her. "Wait... Hold on a minute," he called after her. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that." Catching up to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from going any further. "I'm just ... really confused right now... and I don't know what to do."

He could feel his face heating up with embarrassment, and he pulled his hand off of her shoulder, suddenly feeling self-conscious. How could he explain how he felt. How could he explain the depth of what he was feeling for her when he couldn't even understand it himself. It didn't make any logical sense at all. He had only just met her and yet, it was as if he had known her his entire life... As strange as it seemed, everything Tohru had told him had to be true. They had been reborn together in this life from a time long ago. They had been brought together again somehow.

Tohru reached forward, placing her hands on his face and pulling him closer to her. Yuki let out a ragged breath as he felt himself surrounded by her warmth. "Please, just love me," she whispered softly against his cheek. Their lips met and he kissed her passionately, holding her tightly to him. He couldn't fight it anymore. There was nothing he could do to hold himself back. He ran his hands over her shoulders, over her back and arms. It felt so familiar, as if he had done so a thousand times before.

"I do..." he murmured against her skin. "I love you."

* * *

_Tohru smiled to herself as she looked up at the sky, tenderly caressing a hand over her growing belly. Yuki would be so excited when he found out. She wondered whether they would have a boy or a girl. But she had a feeling it would be a girl. A mother always knows somehow. However, she was wanted to wait until after she and Yuki were married to tell him. It would seem strange to bring it up beforehand, and she didn't want him to have anything more to worry about. He seemed to have so much on his mind lately, and he had proposed to her the night before, so surely, after the wedding would be the best time to tell him._

_ Looking down at her stomach in wonder, Tohru was overwhelmed with the immensity of what was happening inside of her. To think, a life was growing inside of her body. A life that she had created with the man she loved. Her darling baby.... Their darling baby.... She could hardly wait to pick out a name. But would it be presumptuous to already be thinking of a girl's name? What if it did turn out to be a boy after all?_

_ Chuckling, Tohru couldn't help but feel excited. Her very own child at the age of twenty. She could hardly wait. Laying back, she felt the long, soft blades of grass beneath her as she looked up at the bright stars in the night sky. Yuki was going to be so happy.  
_

* * *

Tohru's eyes began to well up with tears, and she wiped at them away quickly, a small sob escaping her throat. She couldn't think of that time now. If she thought about that time, she may not be able to continue living anymore. And there was something she had to do first, something she had promised herself in her last life. She looked down at Yuki, his head laying on her chest as she ran a hand through his hair.

They had headed back to her place after all, and she had made sure that he was as deeply in love with her as possible. After all, their end song was coming very soon. Now, Yuki lay sleeping beside her on her bed, so innocent, so trusting. "Goodnight my love," she whispered, kissing him gently on the top of the head. Slowly, she pulled herself out of bed but a hand wrapped around her wrist and gently pulled her back.

"Where are you going?" Yuki mumbled, sleepily.

"N...Nowhere," Tohru replied nervously. "Just... just to make some tea." Shoot. She had remembered him being a heavy sleeper than that.

Yuki pulled himself up and wrapped his arms around her, making Tohru blush. "Don't go," he murmured, closing his eyes. "Just stay here a little longer..."

Torhu could feel an ache in her heart and this time, she couldn't hold them back, and her tears streamed freely down her cheeks. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She wasn't supposed to feel like this. She had promised herself that this time, she wouldn't fall in love with him. But just like her mom had said, reincarnation was a punishment, where they would be doomed to live again and again, repeating the same mistakes and tragedies for all eternity.

"I was thinking," Yuki continued quietly. "You don't have to live here in this big house all by yourself. You can stay with me and I'll take care of you. My apartment is kind of small... and smells kind of bad... but I'll fix it up. I promise. And after we're done with school... we can get married... and I already have a career in mind... so you don't have to worry about that... You don't even have to work if you don't want to... Well, if you want to I won't stop you... but if you don't... I'll do all the working and pay all the bills and..." he trailed off when one of her tears fell on his shoulder and he looked up at her. "Why are you crying...?"

Tohru shook her head slowly, covering her face with her hands. "Because I love you..." she whispered. "Because I love you and I don't know what to do about it..." She couldn't do this. She couldn't allow herself to do this again. Pulling away from him, she stumbled out of bed, running to her closet and pulling on a pair of jeans and a sweater. "Just wait here," she muttered finally. "I'll be right back. I'm going to make some tea."

"A... All right," Yuki replied, bewildered. "Whatever you want."

She just couldn't do it now. Not while he was there rambling on and on about the wonderful life they were going to have together. She just couldn't bring herself to kill him.

* * *

_A man named Akito... I know a man like that. A bit crazed mind you, but I do know him. Two men named Akito actually. One from this life and one from my last life. They were nothing alike of course, descendants of one another, true, yet the fact that they shared the same name was purely coincidental. Of course, they did have peculiar similarities between them... dark sinister eyes, pale skin, and minds so warped that they bordered on madness at times. And, the most interesting shared common interest of all, an obsession with the Eye of the Dragon._

_ Ah yes, that cursed jewel that centuries upon centuries ago originally belonged to the Sohma family. And somehow, a woman Sohma that had fallen in love with a Honda, had given him the jewel, not realizing its power. Which as things tend to be passed down from generation to generation, the jewel went to Tohru's father's grandfather, to Tohru's father, to Tohru and her mother, and now, just Tohru herself. _

_ And all the while, the Sohma family trying to get it back. Well, two Sohmas in particular that is, as I said, coincidentally enough, both named Akito. And men like them, who care for nothing but their own damned souls, are willing to do anything to get what they want. Anything._

_ "I'm so very, very proud of you," Akito said wistfully, wrapping his arms fondly around the man before him. "Now the jewel will be all ours. Finally, it'll be back where it belongs."  
_

* * *

Turning his head nervously to the side, Akito began to cough uncontrollably, wheezing and gasping for air. He leaned forward against the side of the car, his thin arms barely able to support him. Finally, letting out a deep breath, he pulled open the car door and climbed inside. The jewel. He needed it now. Without it, he would be as good as dead by the next morning. He could feel it. The feeble spark of light that had managed to stay lit inside of him was finally going out for good.

He started the engine, beads of sweat running down his gaunt cheeks. The Eye of the Dragon. His Eye of the Dragon. He felt so ridiculous for not seeing it sooner. The woman that Yuki had crashed into had been Kyoko _Honda, _and her daughter was Tohru Honda. According to the old records, the one who had used the jewel over five centuries ago had been Tohru Honda, and now, she clearly had been reborn in this lifetime.

So simple. So obvious. It was there all along. Funny almost. Yeah, funny. Extremely hilarious even. Akito laughed. Just to show how funny it was. Weaving down the street, the gun he had brought, clattering loudly against the dashboard. A car swerved beside him, trying to get out of his way and Akito's laugh grew louder. Make way for the all mighty. Just like Moses parting the great waters. The cars all parted in the middle, leaving a clear path for him. So obvious and simple. And he, Akito alone had figured it out. Quick look in a phone book and like magic, an address just for him. Tohru Honda's home address.

He made a sharp turn and the gun jumped on the shelf, sliding back and falling onto the seat. And he had even come bearing gifts. That was why a person such as him should never die. A generous soul, on his deathbed even, with a gift for Tohru Honda. And she would reward him. A bullet through her head and she would reward him with that stunning gem that he had been searching for his entire life.

* * *

Writer's note All right, only one chapter left. The last one will pretty much explain everything (evil grin). Its not pretty. I've been at work about ten hours every day so far, lol, so I'm a bit tired. I'll try and keep my updates going though. Lol.

Misaki the Assassin- Thanks! I hope the last chapter clears up all the mysteries too.

Sweet-mel- Yup, he's very confused right now. You'll see why next time. Thanks!

Starfires- Thanks a lot! Yup, she has brown hair.

Qeen- Thanks! =D

Kaguara- lol, wow that really does suck! But thanks so much for reviewing anyway. I hope that report you presented went well!

Blue-rain- Thanks a lot! You're absolutely right! She's plotting something!

Grrl N- Wow, I'm glad someone picked that out! Yup, I tried to make her a little OOC in the modern storyline and IC in the past. Its supposed to show that something drastic must have happened in the past to affect her current self. Lol, something like that. Thanks a lot!

Lady Indigo Star- Thanks! Yup, he's quite confused, but its about to all come back to him next chapter. Haha, it never even occurred to me to make Tohru an angel, and now that everyone brings it up, I guess that would have been kind of cool idea.

Jadefinn- haha, thanks! You're right =D And Akito is definitely scary in this fic!


	6. End Song

Letting out a deep breath, Tohru made her way down the stairs and to the kitchen. What was she doing? She hated herself for being so weak. If she didn't do this now, she may never be able to bring herself to, and then what? Could she really live with herself after what had happened in her past life? No, for the sake of her mother and unborn child, this time, she would do all in her power to correct the errors she had made all those centuries ago.

Tohru bit her lip as she began filling up the iron kettle with water, her hands shaking. The pot slipped from her grip, falling into the sink with a loud clatter, and she picked it up again. She had to calm down. Setting the pot on the stove, she turned the heat on high and went to the cupboard to pull out two teacups, one pink and one blue. This was what she had to do, right? This was her atonement, her final act of vengeance for her family.

Opening two tea packets, she placed one in each cup. Then, she pulled out a small white packet and tore it open, spilling the pale powder into the blue one. The kettle behind her had already begun to whistle loudly and she took it from the heat, carefully filling the cups with the hot water. Setting the pot back down, she turned off the stove and took several more slow even breaths. She could do this. She had to.

* * *

Yuki pulled his pants on as he sat on the edge of the bed, wondering what was wrong with Tohru. Why on earth was she crying? Had he offended her somehow? He had told her he loved her, hadn't he? So what was making her so sad? As he finished buttoning the top of the jeans, he let out a sigh, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. There was obviously still something she wasn't telling him. If she could just tell him what it was maybe he could figure out why she seemed so depressed and help her put an end to it.

The door to the bedroom opened and Tohru came in, carrying a little tray with a pink and blue tea cup on it. Her hand felt along the wall by the doorway, flicking on the bedroom light. "Its already getting so dark outside," she commented cheerfully as she came toward him. "I made us some tea."

"Thank you," Yuki replied as he took the blue cup she handed to him. He watched her take a seat beside him, her own cup in her hands.

Tohru lifted it to her lips and took a long sip. "Mmm, that hits the spot," she murmured. "Tea always makes me feel so calm." Nodding, Yuki took a sip from his own cup. He suddenly found himself becoming aware of the sound of rain hitting glass and pattering against the outside of the house. Rain again. "I can't stand it," Tohru said quietly, taking another sip of her drink. "The rain... It makes me feel so uneasy."

"Me too," Yuki agreed. "I never liked it much."

"That's not a coincidence, you know," Tohru commented in amusement. "There's a reason for everything in this world, just like there's a reason why we were reborn again like this. It was raining just like this on that night... But of course you don't remember... You don't remember anything, isn't that true?"

"What do you mean?"

Tohru began to laugh a little, tears coming to her eyes. "How ironic that it would be raining tonight as well," she continued. "Tonight of all nights. And you, you don't even have any idea what I'm talking about." She turned to look at him, setting her cup down on the floor, and climbing to her feet.

Lifting a large cloth napkin from the tray she had carried up to the room, she revealed a long, sharp butcher's knife. Yuki watched in shock as she wrapped her fingers around it, grasping it tightly and holding it up before him. "That was the night," she whispered softly. "That I promised that when we were reborn again, I would kill you. You remember the angel's story, don't you? But we were wrong... True love isn't the only thing that can bring two souls together again... True hatred works just as well..."

Yuki could feel his mind spinning. What was she talking about? She wanted him dead? But he had thought that she loved him. It didn't make any sense. He tried to stand up, but his muscles felt stiff. Furrowing his brows, he attempted to move his arm, but found that he couldn't. The cup he had been holding fell from his fingers as his hands fell limply to his side, and landed on the carpet with a soft thud, rolling several inches from his feet. His body felt completely numb as he fell back on the bed, watching Tohru as she hovered over him.

"The tea," she explained softly. "Paralysis powder." Climbing onto the bed, she crawled closer to him, pressing the knife to his cheek, her mouth curled into an angry scowl. "I trusted you so much," she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I loved you with all my heart. Even when you pushed me into that river to drown me, I still trusted you like some naïve child. Even though I knew that all you wanted was this damned gem, I still had faith that deep down you really cared about me." The knife fell from her hand, landing on the mattress beside him and she covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "Why did you have to kill my mother... Yuki-kun? Why did you have to let our baby die...?"

"T... Tohru..." Yuki choked, struggling to speak. Surges of memories came flooding into his mind, washing over him, enveloping him completely. That's right. That was why he hadn't been able to remember his past life. He hadn't wanted to remember. He had locked the memories away so that they would never haunt him again. He was the bad guy. He was the one that deserved to be punished. But she was wrong about one thing. His love for her had been no lie. His betrayal however... that had been real.

_ The woman's shoulder length red hair lay sprawled around her head, like an auburn halo as she lay there in the damp soil, the rain falling onto her body. Her skin had grown pale, and her eyes, still wide open in a look of terror as they stared up blankly at the stormy night sky. Around her neck, her skin was blue and black with bruises, a vein bulging from the tender flesh where she had been strangled to death. Yuki looked down at his hands, the hands that had squeezed the life out of Tohru's mother, Kyoko. _

_ Just like that time. He had lost control just like that time. When his relationship with Tohru had still been new, and he had felt overwhelmed by his feelings for her, knowing full well how wrong his love for her was, he had pushed her into the river in an attempt to end it. He had told himself the only reason he was with her was for The Eye of the Dragon. With her out of the way, he could get to it easily. But seeing her, helplessly splashing around, on the verge of death, he had realized just how real his love for her had been, and had ended up jumping in to save her. His heart had never faltered again since that time._

_ Akito was standing behind him, a look of approval on his face, but his eyes gleamed with delight as they eyed the jewel still clutched in Kyoko's powder white hand. "Its about time," he muttered with a smirk. "The Honda family has held on to The Eye of the Dragon for far too long anyway." Yuki nodded slowly, unable to move his gaze from the dead woman on the ground. He hadn't had any choice. This was the only way they could get the jewel back.... right? If only she hadn't resisted. If only she had just handed it over, he wouldn't have had to kill her. What would Tohru say when she found out? She would hate him..._

_"Yu..Yuki-kun..."_

_ Looking up in horror, he saw Tohru standing in the distance, her white nightgown billowing behind her in the wind. Rain dripped from her soaked hair as she slowly stepped toward them, mud covering her bare feet. "Honda... Honda-san..." he murmured in shock. How long had she been there? Had she seen? Had she seen what he had done?_

_ "How could you," she cried, shaking her head as she began running to her mother. She kneeled over her mother's body and began to hug her tightly, her tears mixing with the drops of rain spilling down her face. "I trusted you," she sobbed. "How could do this to us..." Her eyes fell on the jewel in her mother's hand and she took it in her own, wrapping her fingers tightly around it, her entire body shaking. "For this," she whispered tearfully. "You killed her for this..."_

_ "That's right," Akito replied with a little chuckle. "But it seems only fair that we should take back what's ours from a family of thieves. And wasn't our darling little Yuki here such a wonderful little actor. You'd almost think he was in love with you. But he did manage to gain your trust and I must applaud him for that."_

_"No," Yuki murmured, his eyes wide as he took a step back. "That's not it at all." _I loved you. You have to believe me. This was never my intention. I had no idea it would turn out this way..._ But he couldn't seem to say it. The words wouldn't come. _ _And the knife... he saw it a split second too late, when Akito drove it into her back, and Tohru's body fell limply over her mother's. "Akito!" Yuki shrieked, running to him. "What did you just do! Why did you do that!" _

_ Akito turned to look at him, his eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, "why?" The thieves were meant to die. Surely you knew that when we set out to find the jewel."_

_ "You bastard!" Yuki shouted, kicking him across the face. The man flew back, his head cracking hard against the ground. Tears began to well up in Yuki's eyes as he punched him, again and again, unable to hold himself back. So much rage. He felt blinded by it. The rage surging through his veins as he beat the man laying before him to a bloody pulp. He'd kill him. He'd kill him for hurting her._

_"Yuki..."_

_ Yuki stopped, breathing heavily. Twisting his head behind him, he could see Tohru cough, blood spurting out of her mouth as she lay in a crumpled heap over her mother's body. "I... I'm coming," Yuki panted, climbing unsteadily to his feet and stumbling toward her. He collapsed beside her, kneeling over her and gently taking her into his arms. "Honda-san..., I'm so sorry..." he whispered, unable to hold back his own tears as he held her tightly, blood dripping from his raw knuckles. "Tohru...," he tried to smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "See... You're going to be fine. You're going to be all right..."_

_ Tohru looked up at him silently for a moment, her eyes glazed over as she placed a hand over her small belly. "Yuki... next time..." she whispered weakly, "when we're reborn... I'll avenge my mother and our child... and I'll be the one to kill you..."_

_ Our child... What did she mean...? Had she been... She couldn't possibly mean that... How could he not have realized? Why couldn't she have said anything? "No... wait... Don't close your eyes, Tohru," Yuki begged. "I'll take care of you, don't worry. I have a cousin... he's a doctor... he'll take good care of you..." He trailed off as he realized that she was already dead, her head hanging lifelessly to the side . The jewel that she still held in her hand began to glow a bright red color, before slowly sinking into her palm and disappearing beneath her flesh. Yuki watched it in amazement, not quite sure what was happening, and soon the jewel had completely disappeared._

_ What was he going to do now? What would he do without Tohru? There was no way he could possibly live with himself after what he had done. Perhaps, there was only one way that he could be with her again. Lifting her up in his arms, he made his way to the river, and closed his eyes. She had said so herself. They were going to be reborn. And this meant a chance to start over, a hope for a better future, and maybe this time, they'd get it right. Perhaps she would even make good of her promise to kill him, and that was okay too if it meant that she could be happy. He just wanted to see her one last time. _

_And when he fell in, his first thought, was that the water was cold._

That's right... That was the past that he had forced himself to forget. And now, Tohru was here, making her promise a reality. She was going to kill him for all that he had done to her. And it was the right thing to do really. Someone such as him deserved to die... Tohru... she didn't have to cry like that. He understood now. He should die, and she should be the one to kill him. Maybe then they could finally rest in peace and not be forced to live this same tragic hell again and again.

"Ironic, isn't it," Tohru continued quietly, her hair hanging over her face as she sat curled beside him, her eyes staring down at her lap. "That you would end up killing my mother in this life too... Even though it was an accident." She looked up wearily at him, a thin smile on her tear streaked face. "That was an accident, wasn't it?"

Closing his eyes, Yuki waited for the final blow, for her to plunge the knife deep into his corrupt heart and end both their suffering. He could feel the affects of the tea already starting to wear off. But it didn't matter now. He didn't plan to struggle or try and escape anyway. She deserved this. She had waited five hundred years for it, after all.

"You remember everything now, don't you," Tohru asked with a small chuckle. "Yes, I know you do... I can tell..." Wrapping her fingers around the knife handle, Tohru lifted it again. "So let's just finally end this for good..." Closing her eyes, she stabbed it down as hard as she could, lodging the knife deeply into something solid. Letting go of the handle, she began to cry again. "So why can't I do it," she murmured. "Why... why after all this. I wanted you to trust me as much as had I trusted you all those years ago. I wanted you to love me as much as I had loved you. All just for this moment so that I could betray you and take your life... But now, now that the time has finally come, I can't do it..."

Yuki just watched her in wonder, the knife only inches from his head from where it had been stabbed into the mattress. "Why can't you do it?" he asked finally. "I won't stop you. Nothing's stopping you."

"Yes, something is," Tohru cried out. "I wasn't planning on falling in love with you again. I promised myself that this time, I wouldn't repeat the same mistake as in my last life... But just look at me. I'm so pathetic..."

"The Eye of the Dragon!" came a voice loudly from behind them.

"Wh... what...?" Tohru asked in confusion, turning around. A bullet went whizzing by her head, grazing her cheek, and Yuki watched her as she lifted a hand to her stinging flesh in shock. Blood dribbled down her fingers, a drop landing on Yuki's shoulder. Wincing, he pulled himself weakly up, the affects of the paralysis almost completely gone now.

Before them stood Akito, barely even able to stand on his own two legs, yet there regardless, his eyes crazed as he pointed a gun at them. His limbs shook and trembled, as if even just living was an effort in itself. Narrowing his eyes at them, he pulled the trigger again, the second bullet lodging itself into the wall behind them. "Give me that damned jewel!" he shouted angrily. "I need it! Can't you see how much I need it!"

"Stop it Akito!" Yuki demanded, climbing unsteadily to his feet, aware that Tohru was watching them in shock. "Give me the gun."

"You're hiding it from me, aren't you Yuki," Akito spat though gritted teeth. "I should have known. You knew where it was all along but you didn't want me to have it!"

Diving on the man, Yuki tried to grab the gun from him, but Akito pulled the trigger several more times, and Yuki could feel the impact of the bullets as they lodged themselves into his chest. He looked down at his wounds, his eyes wide, his breaths becoming short and fast as he gasped for air. Snatching at the gun, Yuki knocked it hard against the side of Akito's skull, and the man when limp on the floor.

"Y...Yuki-kun..." Tohru stammered softly from the bed. "Are you all right?"

He turned to look at her, his hand clutching the bullet wounds on his bare chest, the dark crimson blood making a stark contrast against his pale skin. Smiling weakly at her, he could feel a thin trail of it running down his chin from the corner of his mouth. "Yeah... I'm fine..." Yuki managed to murmur finally before collapsing on the floor. "I should have done this the last time," he mumbled to himself.

"Yuki-kun!" Tohru cried. She jumped off the bed and kneeled before him, her eyes falling on the the shredded flesh of his torn chest. She began to cry uncontrollably as she lifted his head in her arms, pulling him close. "No, please don't die," she sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything, Yuki-kun. I don't want you to die."

"I guess we really messed up, didn't we," Yuki laughed lightly, wincing as pain coursed up and down his body. "Both times..."

"No, but it doesn't have to be over, right?" Tohru asked, trying to smile. "We can still be together... We were born again in this world just so that we could meet each other again... That's why, I... I don't understand why it always has to end this way..." Tears began to spill from her eyes over her cheeks, and she hugged him tightly, his blood seeping into her jeans and shirt. "Everything can still be okay, can't it?"

"No... I think it's a little too late for that..." Yuki murmured, his eyes growing heavy. The pain was becoming a bit unbearable. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stay conscious. "Maybe next time... We'll try again next time..."

Tohru smiled weakly, nodding. "That's right. Can you imagine Yuki-kun? Not just one lifetime together but more than that... We'll just keep being reborn again and again and each time we'll fall in love with each other just like now... It'll be so romantic, won't it."

"Yeah," Yuki whispered, closing his eyes. "Something like that." It was growing dark. This might be the last time he would ever get the chance to tell her. "I... I really did love you... you know that, don't you?" he breathed quietly.

"Yes, I knew." Tohru replied softly. The image of her was fading, as if his eyes were refusing to see properly. He could feel her hand as she touched his face, gently caressing his cheek. She looked so sad just now. Please, he didn't want her to look that way. "Goodnight, Yuki-kun.... We'll see each other again, I promise." Her voice... so far away... like singing... her gentle songs from long ago... "Sweet dreams, my love."

* * *

_Epilogue_

_ 100 years later_

Frowning, a young woman with long dark hair turned around, her eyes roaming over the floor. Her wallet had to be here someplace! All of her money was in that wallet! Her ID and credit cards and... and ... photos... and stuff! Looking around, she tried to think of all the places she had been. Well, let's see... she had gone to the store to pick up some groceries, stopped at the mall to pay a bill, grabbed a bit to eat at a cafe, returned some books at the library and... well... so basically, it could be pretty much anywhere.

Tohru groaned, slapping her forehead with her hand. This was just great. Now what was she going to do. If the wrong person got a hold of her wallet, they'd know everything about her, and make her poor too while they were at it.

"Excuse me miss," a voice called from behind her.

Turning around, Tohru found herself looking up at a tall man with silvery hair and violet eyes. Her heart instantly began to beat faster, and she could feel her cheeks begin to heat up. How strange. What was it about him that was making her react in this way?

"I think you dropped this," he continued cheerfully. In his hand, he held a blue, leather wallet, and Tohru nodded as she accepted it from him.

"Th... Thank you," Tohru blushed, smiling shyly at him. He was so handsome it was breathtaking. And he seemed so nice too.

"By the way," the man began, putting a hand to his chin awkwardly. "This may sound like some kind of cliché pick up line... but... do I know you from somewhere?"

Tohru shook her head. It was definitely a little strange though. She too felt the weirdest sense of recognition... as if they had known each other for a long, long time somehow. "No, I don't think so," she replied. "But my name is Tohru Honda. Its nice to meet you," she said smiling broadly.

"Yuki Sohma," the man stated, returning her smile. "The pleasure's all mine..." He looked away for a moment, before adding. "By the way, I was just on my way to get some coffee... Would you like to join me?"

Nodding, Tohru could feel her face growing even hotter. "I'd love to."

* * *

Writer's note I had this plot in my head for a long time. However, it took me awhile to formulate a story that I liked enough. I had the end planned out before I even began writing this, so everything I wrote was pretty much leading up to the ending I had in my head from the very beginning. My hope is that you guys will read this story again in its entirety when you get the chance, and now that you know the conclusion, all the little clues and events leading up to it should make more sense.

The main theme of this story was hope. The story of the angel represented two points of view (thus the two versions of the story), a pessimistic outlook on life and an optimistic. In the pessimistic view, life is just a repeat of the same mistakes over and over again, without anyone ever learning anything from then and therefore doomed to spend an eternity miserable and repenting for their sins. The optimistic point of view is that there's always hope for the future, a chance to learn and grow from those mistakes, and eventually, find happiness. The ending of this story encourages this optimistic outlook on life, showing that they managed to find what they were looking for, despite all the hardships they were met with trying to get there.

Lol, well anyway, thanks for the encouraging reviews everyone! They really make me happy

hot chocolate- I love happy endings! I hope you liked the way this one ended too. Thanks!

Kerri- Thanks so much! Yup, I decided this story was complicated enough without mixing the zodiac curse into it, so I thought it would be easier to just omit it. Thanks a lot!

C.B.- Lol, I know, this fic is just a swirl of heavy emotions. I wanted to ending to be happy though. Thanks!

Lady Indigo Star- Thanks a lot! Hey, you were pretty close there with your guess about what he did in the past. I hope you liked the ending =)

Jadefinn- Thanks so much! Yup, Tohru was pretty mad at him, but as you can see, she still loved him after all that time.

Misaki the Assassin- Thanks! Lol, sure, you can have Akito. I sure don't want him. I'll just take Yuki XD

Grrl N- Thanks a lot! Wow, I'm glad this fic had you thinking. But sadly, Tohru's daughter died before she was even born. Sob, I love kids, so it really made me sad to have Tohru die while she was pregnant, but it was necessary for the plot. You're right though, it was actually good Yuki didn't remember the past, it was too depressing. Thanks again!


	7. Chapter 7

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you know I published my first book Paranormal Agency By Sophia Alexandra. It's available online on amazon . com and barnes and . Please check it out.


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